We were once a group of visual artists who displayed and sold our works in non traditional venues, i.e. the streets and plazas of St.Augustine Florida,the oldest City in The U. S. Local laws have been passed in defiance of the First Amendment.There are no longer street artists in St. Augustine, Florida
E mail: plazanews@mail.com

Sunday, June 20, 2010

High Crimes

Officer Tyus mesmerized by Suvo's Art

Yesterday at 1:20 pm, I had just set up some easels to do some embellishments on a group of prints recently made.Officer Tyus approached with his ticket book in hand. I noticed that the ticket on the pad was already filled out. If you already have your name in file, there is no waiting, how convenient! Unfortunately. the charge on the ticket was for displaying and "offering for sale" my artwork.When I asked Officer Tyus whether he saw prices on these works and showed him my pallet and brushes he said no he didn't see prices and then told me something that confirmed my opinion that the City of St. Augustine will blatantly violate the law to violate the civil rights of it's citizens. I'll reserve quoting here until we get an affidavit from a witness and after I have transferred the digital recording to a disc.

I will say this regarding "offer for sale". Officer Tyus did not see prices on the work and he was the first person I spoke to after setting up, the citation having been written in advance begs the question, When was an offer for sale made and who made the complaint? There must be a citizen complaint or witness to the offense.

Only one artist, J. D. , a photographer, formerly of Fox News came for a little while and set up his tripod to take a few pictures.

Today, I will have six blank canvases on display as a protest to the City of St. Augustine's adversarial attitude to the visual artists. No one would want to by a blank canvas, or would they? (google Robert Ryman)

Perhaps the sprawling "hobo picnic"* of eleven men and one woman will once again be held twenty feet away from me. When one of the guys came to me as I was talking to someone else, he interrupted and insisted on shaking my hand. When I ignored his rudeness he went to his companions and told them he was going to "slap me". Oh! Karl the Rottweiler would've loved that if he were still with us ! He really disliked skinny guys in tank tops.

* Anyone has a right to recline about a public park. It's when the Saturday night exuberance starts that the tourists get a bit distressed with the language and potential violence.